Chapter 48 Hi there! I hope you'll enjoy reading this new chapter and I'd like to apologize for the mistakes.

While House and Cuddy tried to make a plan to get Stevenson's attention and his help, Tritter called his friend, Officer Jack Lester. It was easier as he first thought. Jack Lester was now living in a small town near the Lake Michigan, he had apparently nice colleagues and planned to marry a girl in June. Of course, he was bitter and when Tritter told him what he intended to do, Jack accepted immediately to help him. Tritter explained him that if they managed to prove that Jay was directly involved in the murder of the journalist, Jack and Marie would get their level as Detective back. Tritter didn't need to tell Jack Lester how dangerous it was, Jack knew Jay's method to dismiss the opponents who stood in his way. Once he hung up with Jack, Tritter knew he had to call Marie, but it was hard. Since she was degraded and transferred to the North Dakota, he never found the courage to call her. And he was scared. He still loved her but couldn't help her and he let her go. He thought of House and Cuddy. They were obviously made for each other, they were deeply in love with each other and since so many years, and still they had so many arguments, their banter were well-known, House wasn't always fair with her, he did horrible things to her, but she always gave him another chance, she always found the strength to forgive him. They went through terrible moments, House managed to make her understand that she loved him, that she couldn't live without him, and she finally dumped her fiancé. Then they spent almost one year together, they had quarrels and ended breaking-up. Tritter had heard of House's reaction, of House's despair and time in jail. And when he saw Cuddy at the hospital because of this guy that her surgeon had punched, he found her sad, something was broken in her. He saw it because he had known her when House was around her, when House was in her life. She was beaming at that time whereas when he saw her in Chicago, her inner light had faded. Dr. Robert wasn't aware of it, he was in love with her but Tritter understood that she wasn't. Tritter knew that she was House's woman and that no one else could match with House. Maybe was it the reason why he teased House when this one "came back to life". He didn't like House but Cuddy was so… unhappy that something inside him wanted House to go to Chicago to talk to her. And now they were together. Cuddy forgave House once again and they seemed to be happy. So if it worked for House and Cuddy, maybe it could work for him and Marie. And this thought pushed him to finally dial Marie's number.

Ooooo

After a few phone calls, House and Cuddy figured out that the governor Stevenson would be at the Palace Plazza to launch his campaign for the position of governor. He indeed sought a new mandate and he needed funding to finance his election campaign. That's why his party had organized a meeting tonight to collect some money. They decided to go there. Cuddy suggested that they could attend to the meeting and then tried to be introduced to Stevenson or at least to get an appointment with him. House agreed and as they had a few hours before the beginning of the meeting, they decided to go to the library to look for more details about the "suicide" of the journalist that Tritter mentioned. They had to know more about this story, about the context in which it happened and how the press reacted. They shared the work out to save time. After about one hour they got an idea about the false suicide of Joseph Davis. The journalist had investigated about Jay and his companies, he wanted to write the portrait of a great business man who decided to begin a new career in politics and to seek the post of governor. House looked at Cuddy and said:

"Do you understand the same thing as I do?"

She looked back at him and replied: "Yes. It's easy to read between the lines, the journalist had discovered something he shouldn't have, something very embarrassing for Jay. The journalist of the Chicago Tribune suggested that Joseph would never have committed suicide, he wrote that Joseph was a nice guy, always in a good mood and who was going to be father."

"Not a good candidate for suicide. Does he say something about what Joseph had discovered?"

"Hum… let me see… Not really. Maybe something in relation to drug trafficking. He remained evasive but it's understandable."

"Yes. He doesn't want to end like his colleague. What's his name?"

"Damon Stamp."

"I think we should meet Mr. Stamp, don't you think so?"

"I agree, he probably knows more about this "suicide". But I'm not sure that he'll accept to meet us."

"Not if we tell him we want to talk about Joseph and Jay, but he might accept to write an article about the Dean of Medicine of the best hospital of Chicago." House said with a smile.

"Or about the new Diagnostic Department and his head, the famous Doctor House?" Cuddy replied archly. She knew that House didn't like journalists.

"You are more interesting. And sexier."

"No, no, no. You gonna give this interview. And it will be a good advertising for your department and your integration in the hospital."

"What about a group interview?" House replied. "You know how …unpleasant I can be"

Cuddy sighed. "Okay, group interview."

"Good decision" House said with a smile. "Let's see what we can find about Jay" he added and began his research. After a while their work paid off.

"Hey, Cuddy, I guess the tables turn" he said with a smile and a glint of victory shined in his eyes. Cuddy had already seen this light in his eyes, and she knew that House found something.

"What? What did you find?" she asked full of hope.

"Jay was married to Susan Malone, a well-known lawyer."

"And?"

House turned to Cuddy. "She asked to divorce because of Jay's infidelity and Jay didn't appreciate it. He managed to switch roles and to ruin her career. Cuddy, I'm sure that Mrs. Malone will have interesting things to say about her ex-husband. Not forgetting that she's a great lawyer. She can be a great support for us. Let's try to find her. Her last address is in New-York." He looked at his watch. It was 6.30 pm. The meeting was at 8.00 pm. "We have still time. Let's go home and try to get in touch with her."

Oooooo

House and Cuddy decided that Cuddy should call Susan Malone. As woman, she had more chance to move her and to get her help to remove Jay from society, to put him where he couldn't do any harm. Nervous and apprehensively, Cuddy dialed Susan's number. After three rings a voice answered.

"Good evening"

"Good evening, I'm Dr. Lisa Cuddy and I'd like to talk to Susan Malone."

"I am Susan Malone. What can I do for you?"

"Mrs. Malone, I know it's Saturday evening but I… I really need your help. And I hope you'll agree to help me."

"You said Dr. Cuddy?"

"Yes, I'm Dr. Lisa Cuddy."

"I don't think that I know you"

"No, you don't, but"

"I don't know what your problem is, but I'm not specialized in medical case. If you want, I can give you the name of a colleague who'll be able to help you."

"No, I… it's not a professional problem, it's… personal."

"Oh, then I might help you. Is your husband unfaithful?"

"No, it's not a problem of infidelity."

"Then what's your problem? Money? Sexual harassment at work?"

"I guess that we can say that."

"Is it your boss?"

"No. I'm the Dean of the hospital and"

"Oh… a colleague then?"

"No. A patron of the hospital."

"I think then that it will be easy to win. What's his name?"

"Charles Jay."

"….." Susan Malone hadn't expected that. Many memories flooded back. Sad and bitter memories.

"Mrs. Malone? Are you still there?"

Cuddy heard a deep breath and Susan replied coldly: "Dr. Cuddy, I regret but I won't be able to defend you. Good ni"

"No! Please, don't hang up." Cuddy exclaimed. Her voice was full of fear and despair. And this is what held Susan to hang up.

"Dr. Cuddy, I may seem impolite but you have to understand that I don't want to hear any more about Jay. Never."

"I know but I really need your help. You can understand me, you can understand how I feel because you know Jay so well." Cuddy stopped talking. To think of Jay and of what he told her in Miami, of the ultimatum he gave her, made her feel bad. And somehow she felt ashamed. House told her it wasn't her fault, she couldn't help but felt guilty for what happened. She knew she didn't do anything wrong, she just did her job, nothing else, but still, she was ashamed and it wasn't easy to explain her delicate situation to a stranger.

"Dr. Cuddy, I… " Susan said hesitantly. She didn't know exactly what Jay did, but she could imagine it and indeed she understood Cuddy.

"Jay is threatening my children, he is ready to lash out at them or to kidnap them if I don't give into his advances." Cuddy said in one go.

It was worse than Susan had thought. She knew Jay was despicable, sly, arrogant, selfish and horrible when he wanted something, but she never thought he would go so far. After a few seconds during which Cuddy heard Susan breathing, this one said: "Dr. Cuddy, I'm sorry but… I don't think I can help you. You should"

"Please, Mrs. Malone, I'd like to meet you, I'm sure I can convince you to help me and to take revenge on Jay. I know you're a great lawyer and I know that Jay ruined your career. I imagine what you felt then and how difficult it was for you to start a new life in New York, to get a new job and to gain the confidence of new colleagues. And I'm sure that you didn't forgive him what he did to you. I give you the opportunity to take your revenge. So please, accept at least to meet me." Cuddy talked fast, she played her last card, the card of a derided woman, the card of revenge.

Susan sighed. What Cuddy told her was true. She'd love to avenge herself on Jay, she'd love to see his name dragged through the mud. After all he did to her, she had the right to take her revenge. And Cuddy moved her, she couldn't let her so, she had to help her. "Ok, can you be in New York tomorrow for lunch?"

"Yes. Where do you want to meet?"

"There's a café at the corner of Columbus Avenue and of the W 81 Street, near the American Museum of Natural History. It's called The blue train. Be there at 13.00."

"Thank you. See you tomorrow."

House looked at Cuddy. He knew it was difficult for her to talk about Jay's harassment. "It's okay, she accepts to meet me. Tomorrow in New York for lunch."

House nodded. "Good, it lets us time to prepare what you gonna tell her. But right now, it's time to go to the meeting."